Bein Harim - Israel Tours

The architecturally controversial 'Ramot Polin Apartments' (East Jerusalem), built in 1972, designed by modernist architect Zvi Hecker, a Polish-born Israeli architect. His work is known for its emphasis on geometry and asymmetry. Source: Wikipedia #ramotpolin #israeliartchitecture #zvihecker #beinharimtours

It's olive harvest season in Israel. October/November is the perfect time to catch some olive picking. Gather olives in both hands, pickle them and preserve in jars! Photo credit: Oksana Mats #olivesinisrael #oliveseasonisrael #olivepicking #beiharimtours #israel

The "Hill of Evil Counsel" is a mount on which Abu Tor, one of Jerusalem neighborhoods, stands. The legend has it that it was the site of the house of Caiaphas, where Judas plotted to betray Jesus. According to a traditional story, during the Ayyubid period after Saladin captured Jerusalem in 1187, the area of Abu Tor was assigned by Al-Aziz Uthman to an officer in Saladin's army. His name was Sheikh Shehab ed Din, but he was called "Sheikh Ahmed et Toreh" (Sheikh Ahmed of the bull) or "Abu Tor" (the man with the bull, or the father of the bull) as he was said to have accompanied Saladin riding on a bull. Source: Wikipedia #thehillofevilcounsel #abutor #jerusalem #houseofCaiaphas #beinharimtours

Highway 20, more commonly the Ayalon Highway, or simply Ayalon, is a major intracity freeway in Gush Dan, Israel. The Ayalon Highway is heavily traveled and on an average day almost 600,000 vehicles enter the freeway. It consists of a multi-lane highway with a multi-track railway located between the opposite travel lanes. Some of the highway's route is along the Ayalon River, hence its name. Source: Wikipedia #ayalonhighway #ayalon #israel #beinharimtours #highway20

The Khan al-Umdan, constructed in Acre, Israel, in 1784, is the largest and best preserved caravanserai in the region. Source: Wikipedia #acre #israel #KhanalUmdan #beinharimtours

Sunset in Tel Aviv Photo courtesy of @zlatinevgeny #israel #telaviv #sunsetintelaviv #beinharimtours

Inside the Saint James Cathedral in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. Source: Wikipedia #TheCathedralofSaintJamesjerusalem #ArmenianQuarter #ArmenianChurchinJerusalem #Jerusalem #Israel #beinharimtours

Tel Aviv from the top of a circular skyscraper. Azrieli Observatory is one of the highest in the Middle East. There is also a cafe where you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views. Photo courtesy of Anna Bessonova #telaviv #azrieli #azrieliobservatory #israel #beinharimtours

The Azrieli Sarona Tower, the tallest building in Israel, is a skyscraper in the Sarona neighborhood, Tel Aviv, on Begin Road. It is 238.5 meters (782 ft) high with 61 floors. Source: Wikipedia #telaviv #israel #beinharimtours #azrielisaronatower #telavivskyscrapers

Typical Israeli road sign in Hebrew, Arabic, and English Source: Wikipedia #israel #typicalisrael #beinharimtours

Ein Avdat is a canyon in the Negev Desert of Israel. Archaeological evidence shows that Ein Avdat was inhabited by Nabateans and Catholic monks. Numerous springs at the southern opening of the canyon empty into deep pools in a series of waterfalls. The canyon of Ein Avdat is part of Nahal Zin, the largest Wadi or dry riverbed in the Negev. The 120 kilometer-long riverbed begins at the northwestern tip of Makhtesh Ramon and heads north before veering sharply eastwards. Ein Avdat was created by erosion. Photo courtesy of Oksana Mats Source: Wikipedia #einavdat #NegevDesert #israel #beinharimtours #wadisinisrael

The origin of falafel is controversial. A widely held theory is that the dish was invented in Egypt about 1000 years ago by Egyptians. As Alexandria is a port city, it was possible to export the dish and name to other areas in the Middle East. The dish later migrated northwards to the Levant. It has been speculated, with no concrete evidence, that its history may go back to Pharaonic Egypt. Other theories propose that it came from the Arabs or Turks; or that the chickpea-based food came from Yemen. Falafel is eaten by Mizrahi Jews who originally resided in Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Jordan, etc. Later, it was adopted by early Ashkenazi Jewish olim to pre-state Israel. Due to its being entirely plant based, it is considered pareve under Jewish dietary laws. Source: Wikipedia #falafel #israelifood #israelicuisine #beinharimtours

The forests of contemporary Israel are mainly the result of a massive afforestation campaign by the Jewish National Fund (JNF). In the 19th century and up to World War I, the Ottoman Empire cleared the land of Israel of its natural reserves of pine and oak trees, in order to build railways across the empire. Since it was founded the JNF has planted in Israel more than 185 million trees creating 280 forests, and still operates today. "In most countries people are born to forests, and forests are given to them by nature. But here in this country, if you see a tree, it was planted by somebody" (Moshe Rivlin, world chairman of the Jewish National Fund) Source: Wikipedia Picture: Aminadav Forest in central Israel #israel #israeliplants #israelitrees #israeliforest #aminadav #jnf #beinharimtours

Jachnun is a Yemenite Jewish pastry, originating from the Adeni Jews, and traditionally served on Shabbat morning. Yemenite Jewish immigrants have popularized the dish in Israel. Jachnun and its pan-fried cousin malawach probably originated as variations of Sephardic Jewish puff pastry, brought to Yemen by Jews expelled from Spain: Jachnun is left in a slow oven overnight. It is prepared from dough which is rolled out thinly, brushed with shortening (traditionally, clarified butter or samneh), and rolled up, similar to puff pastry. It turns a dark amber color and has a slightly sweet taste. It is traditionally served with a crushed/grated tomato dip, hard boiled eggs, and zhug (a type of hot sauce). Those with a sweet tooth like to unroll the Jachnun, spread strawberry jam, before rolling it back up and serving it Jam roly-poly style. Source: Wikipedia #israelicuisine #israelifood #israel #jachnun #jewishpastry #beinharimtours

Another gem of Bethlehem Governorate - Convent of the Hortus Conclusus in Artas. According to legend, Wadi Artas was the site that inspired the poems King Solomon wrote to his beloved and his reference to the ‘garden enclosed’, which translated into Latin Hortus Conclusus, earned this magical place its riveting name. “Thou art like a garden enclosed, my sister, my spouse, like a sealed fountain. Thy plantations are a paradise of delights.” - King Solomon’s Canticle (Song of Songs). The Hortus Conclusus convent, built in 1901 by an Italian order of nuns, was for many years central to village life, providing schooling and other services to the local community. Source: enjoybethlehem.com #bethlehemsurroundings #bethlehemgovernorate #hortusconclusus #artas #gardenenclosed #HortusConclususconvent #beinharimtours

This huge golden menorah located in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem is a replica of the original Temple Menorah. Its proportions are over 2 meters in height and plated with 43 kg (95 lbs) of gold. Its estimated value is approximately 3 million $. It was constructed by the Temple Institute. The conclusions upon which the construction of the menorah was based took into account archaeological evidence and, of course, the halachic (Jewish law) requirements of materials, dimensions, ornamental affects and manner of manufacture as first delineated in the Book of Exodus, and further explicated by Jewish sages throughout the millennia. Source: www.templeinstitute.org Image © Shutterstock #jerusalem #goldenmenorah #templemenorah #menorah #beinharimtours #jewishquarter

Caesarea on foot. As you walk from the amphitheater towards the sea, you will pass through an archaeological garden. You will stroll by beautiful remains of sculptures, inscriptions and pillars that were discovered in this area. Photo credit: Dmitry Mishin Source: www.go-telaviv.com #caesarea #israeliarcheology #israel #beinharimtours

The Sacro Catino, a bowl made from green Egyptian glass, later identified as the Holy Grail, brought from Caesarea Palestinae to Genoa by Guglielmo Embriaco in 1101. Source: Wikipedia #beinharimtours #sacrocatino #holygrail #caesareapalestinae #historyofisrael

Good morning from Caesarea! Photo credit: @Dmitry Mishin #caesarea #beinharimtours

Tel Aviv and Jerusalem from space Picture taken by the astronaut Paolo Nespoli from the International Space Station (ISS), as part of the European Space Agency (ESA)'s MagISStra mission #israel #israelfromspace #beinharimtours #telaviv #jerusalem

A calm evening in Tel Aviv Photo credit: Dmitry Mishin #telaviv #israel #jaffa #telavivbeach #beinharimtours

Probably, the best view on the Sea of Galilee is at sunset Photo courtesy of Oksana Mats #beinharimtours #kinneret #seaofgalilee #israel

Sukkot is an ancient Jewish harvest festival that commemorates the booths the Israelites resided in after the Exodus. One of the customs associated with Sukkot is inviting supernatural guests (uzhpuzin) into the sukkah (booth) - seven on the whole, one for each day of the holiday: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David. Photo: Sukka lights in Ramat Gan #sukkot #jewishholidays #israeliholidays #israel #beinharimtours

Sukkot, the Festival of Tabernacles, known also as the Festival of Ingathering/Shelters, is a biblical Jewish holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month Tishrei. The holiday lasts 7 days in Israel and 8 in the diaspora. The Hebrew word sukkōt is the plural of sukkah, "booth" or "tabernacle", which is a walled structure covered with s'chach (plant material). A sukkah is the name of the temporary dwelling in which farmers would live during harvesting, a fact connecting to the agricultural significance of the holiday stressed by the Book of Exodus. As stated in Leviticus, it is also intended as a reminiscence of the type of fragile dwellings in which the Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of travel in the desert after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt. Throughout the holiday, meals are eaten inside the sukkah and many people sleep there as well. Every day, a blessing is recited over the Lulav (a closed frond of the date palm tree) and the Etrog (yellow citron). Hag Sukkot sameach! Source: Wikipedia #jewishholidays #jewishtraditions #israel #beinharimtours